The United Nations World Food Program says it is closely monitoring the crippling drought situation in Zimbabwe and lobbying stakeholders for the provision of food and other resources to the affected families.

Officials said Zimbabwe has pledged 35,000 tonnes of maize and the WFP is working with other organizations to secure additional aid.

Close to 1.6 million people will need food aid by March next year.

The food aid ogranization reported the dire situation in late July saying the drought was and will continue to cripple the most vulnerable.

The assessment indicated that the number of people in need of food aid is 60 percent higher than the one million that needed assistance during the last lean season.